7/24/03 - END OF THE REGIME - 2003-07-25

The killing of the sons of Saddam Hussein clearly demonstrates that the dictatorship that terrorized Iraq for so many years has been destroyed. That according to President George W. Bush, commenting on the deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein, who were killed July 22nd in a firefight with coalition forces in the town of Mosul:

"Saddam Hussein's sons were responsible for torture, maiming, and murder of countless Iraqis. Now, more than ever, all Iraqis can know that the former regime is gone and will not be coming back."

Mr. Bush said that "a few remaining holdouts" loyal to Saddam's government continue to try to destabilize Iraq. "These killers," said President Bush, "are the enemies of Iraq's people. They operate mainly in a few areas of the country. [But] wherever they operate, they're being hunted and they will be defeated." In the meantime, said President Bush, the United States and its coalition partners "are determined to help build a free and sovereign democratic nation":

"A free, democratic, peaceful Iraq will not threaten America or our friends with illegal weapons. A free Iraq will not be a training ground for terrorists or a funnel of money to terrorists or provide weapons to terrorists who would willingly use them to strike our country or our allies. A free Iraq will not destabilize the Middle East. A free Iraq can set a hopeful example to the entire region and lead other nations to choose freedom."

"We have made steady progress in restoring hope in a nation beaten down by decades of tyranny," said Mr. Bush. And, he said, the U.S.-led coalition has kept its word:

"America and our partners kept our promise to remove the dictator and the threat he posed, not only to the Iraqi people, but to the world. We also keep our promise to destroy every remnant of that regime and to help the people of Iraq to govern themselves in freedom."

"Rebuilding Iraq will require a sustained commitment," said President Bush. That commitment is being fulfilled.

Reflecting the Views of the U.S. Government as Broadcast on The Voice of America